ADDITIONAL District and Sessions Judge Javed Mahmood Sandhu on Wednesday directed the Sabzazar SHO to hold an inquiry into allegations against two men who had allegedly contracted gay marriage in United Kingdom and presently were living in Pakistan.
The court passed this order while disposing of a petition, filed by Muhammad Numan, brother of one of the men, seeking registration of a criminal case against them. The court ruled that certificate of civil partnership produced by petitioner did not show that Hafiz Salman Talib and Muhammad Zaheer Abbas had contracted marriage.
The judge said that as no direct evidence had been produced of commission of unnatural offence by them, so petitioner was directed to approach the SHO who shall enquire into the matter and if the respondents were found involved in the commission of any cognizable offence, the SHO would proceed strictly in accordance with law.
Previously, the court had sought comments from the SHO concerned but he did not turn up on pervious three hearings. Muhammad Nauman, a resident of Multan Road, had filed a petition in the court, seeking registration of a criminal case against his brother Hafiz Salman Talib and his alleged spouse Muhammad Zaheer Abbas for contracting a gay-marriage.
Complainant informed the court that his family had sent Talib to the UK for the purpose of study. Talib returned to Pakistan last month along with his friend Zaheer, petitioner added. He said parents of Talib kept him asking to marry some girl but he refused to do so. Finally, he disclosed that he could not marry a girl as he had already ‘married’ Zaheer in accordance with civil partnership law of the UK.
Petitioner also said that his brother also showed them a certificate of civil partnership. He said that family members forced Talib to abandon his illegal relations with Zaheer as such relations were unnatural, un-Islamic and not permitted under Pakistani laws. Instead of paying heed to his parents’ advice, he eloped with his ‘spouse,’ the petitioner added.
The complainant told the court that he had contacted with the SHO concerned to register a case against the both male partners but he refused to entertain his plea, saying, the UK law allowed men to live with each other as common law partner.
Court directs police to ensure SHO’s arrest: Additional District and Sessions Judge Abdul Jabbar Khan on Wednesday directed the DIG Operations to ensure arrest of South Cantt SHO Zafer Iqbal who had fled from the courtroom when the judge had awarded him six-month imprisonment for not complying with the court order.
The court has also directed the DIG to submit a report before the court by May 19 (today). The court had issued repeated notices to the SHO to produce prosecution witnesses in a dacoity-cum-murder case registered with the South Cantt police station in 2006 but to no avail.
The court had also directed the SHO to produce case property and the car used in dacoity and the murder weapon but he turned a blind eye to the court order. Later, the court had issued show-cause notices to the SHO and directed the police authorities concerned to make sure his presence in the court but he did not appear.
Continuous non-compliance on part of the SHO forced the judge to initiate contempt of the court proceedings. On Tuesday, the court awarded six months imprisonment to Zafer Iqbal but he managed to escape from the court.